Johnny made a swing through the middle-west playing at Lindy Hop venues in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Omaha. We caught him in Minnesota at the Social Dance Studio, and then we quick drove to Dayton so we could catch him in at the Swing Gallery across the river from Cincinnati. His voice is just as smooth as it was when he long ago recorded with "Indigo Swing" There is something to be said for not screaming at a microphone, but rather, letting it do the amplifying work for you. While he always had pleasing stage presence, he now seems more animated and energetic. His group's instrumentation was piano, bass, drums and Latin percussionist and all played well. He ran the tempos up and down, and added a waltz a few ballads and a couple of Latin numbers. Rumor had it that he didn't like dancers---if so, he seems to have changed his mind.

DANCING DURING A 9 STATE 15 DAY CAR TRIP

Leaving from Dayton OH on Sept 24th,we made stops in St. Louis to visit friends and got in a fine dance evening at the Grandel Ballroom, Then on to Columbia MO to schmooze with the remnants of my Veterinary School class on the 50th anniversary of our graduation. Then we went to Kansas City to visit with my sister. Next to Dallas/Ft. Worth to visit our oldest daughter and family and while there we scored a night of dance in Ft. Worth at one of our old dance haunts, "Preservation Hall" Then it was to Austin were we made it to the regular and much heralded Thursday night dance at "The Fed", the elegant Headquarters building of the Texas Women's Clubs Association. Next we went to Houston to visit with our youngest daughter and family, and while there we got in a couple of dances, one to "Dale Watson and his Lone Stars" (one of the best damned western swing bands working in the USA). Unfortunately it was on a concrete floor at a county fair. However two nights later we hit the regular Houston Swing Dance Society Sunday night dance but at venue new to us, the El Dorado Ballroom. Then we made it home to Dayton in two days with a stop in Lindyless Little Rock Ark, and arrived home on Oct 8th covered with road dust and a car full of uggy socks and underwear.

"ROCKTOBER" IN COLUMBUS OHIO

I can't remember how long this routinely well-organized weekend Lindy event has been running, but Rudy and I have been to a bunch of them. I rate this one as one of the best, partially because the featured live music on both Fri. and Sat. nights was a band consisting of our Minnesota homies, "Robert Bell & and his Hot Swing Combo" The crowd turn-out was good, the dancers excellent and the Lincoln Theater venue was both classy and had a beautiful floor with a sweet surface. Rudy and I were toast after two hours of dance each night--just as it should be, and just as we had hoped.

Note: We are going to try to attend many weekend Lindy event this winter, but don't be expecting News and Views reports on competitions or workshops--we don't do either. There is only so much candy in our dance jars and we are not going to eat it during comps and lessons. Do we need other excuses? I hope not.

"TIME WARP SWING" IN COLUMBUS OHIO

This inexpensive DJed weekend event is put on by the Ohio State University Swing Dance Club, and this is the first one we have attended. It is primarily a teaching event, but there are two evening dances, and a Sunday afternoon dance. We attended the Fri and Sat dances, both to DJed music in the Columbus YWCA, and we enjoyed the mix of musics, the dancers, and the floor which seems to have an improved surface year by year--there may be a lesson here, i.e. "If the surface sucks, be patient, as it will likely improve by the rub of more dancer shoes, and, if it does improve, under no circumstances do anything to the surface except sweep it."

DANCIN' TO THE BOILERMAKERS IN COLUMBUS

The Boilermakers were featured on the regular "SwingColumbus" third Saturday dance in November. Whoopee! It was a quartet composed of leader/sweet reedist, Paul Cosetino and his regular three-piece rhythm section, and all three are jazz ACES. As well, the band was accompanied by delicious regular vocalist, Jennifer McNulty, nee stage-name, Jeanie Luv. In case you didn't know it, both Paul and Jennifer are good dancers, AND, they do dance during the band breaks. How often do you see musicians and singers do that?

POTPOURRI

1. "Of all the live performing arts - dance, opera, musical theater, classical, etc. - jazz is currently the only one where the audience is growing. Yeah! And you know what? It's not going to stop." Lester Perkins (The Daddy Rabbit of www.Jazzonthetube.com)
2. "Dancing is an AMAZING activity. You can go up to a gorgeous woman that you've never met before, spend three minutes touching her virtually anywhere on her body, and she THANKS you for it afterwards!" ~ Mario Robau, Jr. (Hell yes, maybe that happens IF you are Mario Robau Jr.)
3. For those who have never danced on Frenchman's Street in New Orleans, watch this clip. http://www.jazzonthetube.com/page/25016.html

CURRENT DANCE REPORT

Month Days Dancing
May 8
June 5
July 5
August 6
September 10
October 11
November(predicted) 12

Lookie here! dance opportunities are increasing, and so too are our days dancing. December is usually a dance-slow month, but we shall see what it provides.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

1. "Pitt Stop", the long time running Pittsburgh Lindy Exchange. We have only attended one, two years ago. This one features three of our favorite dance bands: The Boilermakers Jazz Band, The Solomon Douglas Sextet featuring vocalist Alison Dreyfuss and The Gordon Webster Octet. OH BOY!
2. Potpourri
3. And who knows what else?